Four years ago, I was set to hit a milestone birthday –the big 5-0. For years I knew exactly how I wanted to celebrate: my beloved and me in tropical Bali. 

In January that year, we had sold our house and its contents and moved to New Jersey for my spouse’s new job to begin our empty-nesting life in a new penthouse apartment overlooking New York City. 

March 17th began the COVID lockdown and by the 24th all of my keynotes and workshops were cancelled. As a 20-year entrepreneur, I was clientless for the first time in my life. 

Then, one week later my spouse asked me for a divorce. #Blindsided.

A trap door opened beneath my feet and was in a freefall. No home, no marriage, no work, no direction and a deadly pandemic sweeping NYC. It was rough, but there’s one thing a storyteller knows:

It’s just a chapter – a big, traumatic important one, but there’s always another one we get to write. For me it went like this:

  • 1 year later: Innovation Storytellers was born.
  • 2 years later: The Innovation Storytellers Show podcast debuted.
  • 4 years later: I reclaimed that trip with a new story. 

I attended the Global Speakers Summit in Bali this month, where 200+ keynote and workshop leaders like me gathered to learn to be better speakers, grow our businesses, and find camaraderie in what can be a solitary profession off the stage.

And then It dawned on me. It had been 22 years since I had taken a full-fledged vacation, sans laptop, email or social media. My European friends are aghast right now, I’m sure.

So, I took two more weeks exploring and discovering one of the most diverse and spiritual places on the planet. I tried 30 varieties of sambal – Indonesia’s killer hot sauce, hung out with monkeys in their happy habitats and unplugged with the help of emerald green rice paddies, a local shaman, four hour swims and deep tissue massages.

I remembered that travel and discovery is the air I breathe. That plunging myself into the unknown is the way I become known to myself and unleash my creativity when I get back home.

What does it for you? As we hit the final months of 2024, how are you writing your story?

I’m finishing mine with lots of new ideas, plot twists and opportunities to share with all of you in 2025! I can’t wait!